Thom S. Rainer

Latest

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  May 5, 2012

  Five of the Most Difficult Challenges for Pastors

  It may be one of the most difficult jobs in the world. Indeed, it may be an impossible job to do in our own strength. So I asked the question: What specific part of being a pastor is the most difficult for you?

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  May 3, 2012

  The 10 Warning Signs of an Inwardly Obsessed Church

  Any healthy church must have some level of inward focus. Those in the church should be discipled. But churches can lose their outward focus and become preoccupied with the perceived needs and desires of the members.

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  Apr 4, 2012

  Seven New Trends in the Pastor Search Process

  If there is anything consistent about the current state of how churches find and call pastors, it is the inconsistencies of the process for each church. It is inconsistent by denomination and by each church individually.

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  Mar 27, 2012

  October Baby Opens Strong

  October Baby had a strong opening this past weekend placing eighth overall at the box office with an opening weekend gross of $1.7M and third among major releases in per screen average

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  Mar 19, 2012

  October Baby

  Millions of unborn babies are being led to their deaths. But most churches are just singing louder. What can we do?

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  Mar 14, 2012

  Eight Reasons Leaders Lose Their Drive

  The leader had no greater goal or vision than the job itself. The moment a leader is in a job for the paycheck alone, he or she has already lost the drive necessary to be a leader.

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  Mar 9, 2012

  People Migration to Larger Churches

  One of the most significant trends in American churches the past 25 years has been the migration of people from smaller churches to larger churches.

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  Mar 5, 2012

  When Pastors Need a Pastor

  The expectations of a pastor are always high. Most are expected to omnipresent, omniscience, and always energetic and ready to serve. But these men are people with their own limitations and their own struggles.

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  Feb 12, 2012

  A Father's Prayer

  The year was 1985. My third son, Jess, was five months old. His older brothers, Sam and Art, were five and three years old respectively. My wife, Nellie Jo, and I were exhausted. She, in particular, seemed never to rest with the demands of being a stay-at-home mom to three preschool boys. I was sleeping little as well, dealing with the demands of being a full-time seminary student, serving as pastor of a small church, and working an additional thirty hours a week at a bank.

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  Feb 7, 2012

  Millennials, Religion, and a Reason for Hope

  The Millennial Christians are relatively few in number. Again, I am reticent to estimate with any claim of precision, but I have suggested that the number of Christians in this generation is 15 percent of their total.